אגרת הקודש

TEN. After greetings of peace and life, “may the opening of my words rouse”1Par. Psalms 119:130. the ear that hears the admonition of life2Par. Proverbs 15:31. which the L–rd of life3Lit., the living L–rd. (The translation used seeks to retain the poetic spirit of the text.) admonished through His Prophets and said: “The graces of the L–rd are surely not concluded (תמנו)….”4Lamentations 3:22. Now, it should really have said תמו, as it is written elsewhere: “For your graces are not concluded (תמו)….”5Liturgy, concluding benedictions of the Amidah. But this will be understood when considering the statement in the sacred Zohar:6See Zohar III:133b; 140b. See also Zohar I:219a and III:21a. “There are various types of chesed: there is chesed olam7“Grace of the world,” or “perpetual grace.”…, and there is chesed ilaah8Supreme chesed.—i.e., rav chesed9Abundant, or magnanimous chesed (cf. Exodus 34:6).….”

Now, it is well known that the Torah is called oz (strength),10Sifrei, Deuteronomy, sect. 343 (on Deuteronomy 32:2); Shir Hashirim Rabbah 1, s.v. Meshacheni 1; Tanchuma, Berachah 4; cf. above, Epistle 1, note 10. See Likkutei Torah, Shelach 39d. which is an expression of gevurah (might),11See above, Epistle 1, note 10. and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said—“The 613 commandments were declared to Moses at Sinai”12Makkot 23b (acc. to various versions, e.g., Eyn Yaakov, etc.); Tanchuma, Shoftim 9; et al. from the Mouth of Gevurah,13Lit., “Might,” a frequent rabbinic expression denoting Divine majesty (the L–rd) and in Kabbalistic-Chasidic literature related to the equally named attribute of gevurah. This term is also used with respect to the Giving of the Torah (see Makkot 24a; et passim).—Whereas I could not find any rabbinic saying as our text would seem to suggest—“the 613 commandments of the gevurah”—(though see Zohar II:116b), I divided it under the assumption that the author added it on his own to the original expression. Thus the proof-text from Deuteronomy is also not to be taken as an integral part of the preceeding, but added to support it, and the following interpretation. and as it is written: “From His right side a fiery law to them.”14Deuteronomy 33:2. This means: The source and root of the Torah consists solely of the “graces of the L–rd,”15See Zohar II:113a; Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 11b. See also Zohar II:118b, III:237a, and Berachot 6a (especially in the light of the following note). which are referred to as the “right side.”16See Zohar I:26b; Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 17a; et passim. That is, the elicitation of His G–dliness, blessed be He, and of a radiation from the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, to the upper and lower worlds, is effected by man who elicits the light upon himself by the fulfillment of the 248 operational precepts, which are the “248 organs of the King,”17See Zohar II:118a; Tikkunei Zohar 30 (74a); cf. Zohar II:83b, ibid., 163b; Tikkunei Zohar 70 (131a) ff.—See Kitzurim V’Hearot, p. 106 ff., and cf. Shomer Emunim 1:24 ff. i.e., the 248 vessels and garments for the radiation from the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, that is vested in them (18Brackets appear in the text.and as known, with every commandment there issues forth to him awe and love from this light).19Cf. Likkutei Amarim, Part I, chs. 23 and 37; Iggeret Hateshuvah, ch. 1.

However, this efflux was first vested in the attribute of the gevurah of the Holy One, blessed is He,20I.e., though the Torah originates in chesed, it was given to man—“from the Mouth of Gevurah,” through the attribute of gevurah; see Zohar I:48b, and Derech Emet ad loc. Cf. Zohar I:240a; II:81a; etc. See further: Zohar II:84a and cf. Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 6a and 11b. referred to as “fire.”21Zohar III:255a; 257a; Tikkunei Zohar 69 (105a).—Thus, the above-cited verse means: “From His right”—from chesed, “the fire of the Law”—is the Torah given through gevurah; cf. Zohar II:84a and the commentaries of Nachmanides and Or Hachaim, on Deuteronomy 32:2. See also Zohar II:206b. (Gevurah) is the aspect of the contraction (tzimtzum) of the light and vivification that issue from the light of the En Sof, blessed is He,22See below, Epistle 15. so that it will be able to become vested in the performance of the commandments, practically all of which involve material things—as tzitzit, tefillin, sacrifices, and charity.

And even commandments that involve man spiritually—as awe and love—are in a mode of limitation and measure,23The aspect of gevurah. and by no means in a mode of infinitude. For not even for a moment could man sustain in his heart so intense a love of G–d as is without end and limitation and still remain in existence in his body, and as the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, that at the time of the Giving of the Torah [which was a manifestation of His G–dliness, blessed be He, and of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, on a plane of speech and revelation24See Exodus 20:15 and Mechilta, Yitro, ad loc. (s.v. Bachodesh, ch. 9); Pirkei d’R. Eliezer, ch. 41; Shemot Rabbah 29:3.]—“their souls took flight…”25Shemot Rabbah 29:3; Shabbat 88b.

Now, because the commandments were given to us by way of investment in the attribute of gevurah and a contraction (tzimtzum) of the radiation, and so on, most commandments have a delimited measure. For instance, the length of tzitzit (must be) twelve times the width of the thumb;26Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 11:4; cf. Shulchan Aruch HaRav 11:5 (and 7). the tefillin—two fingers by two fingers,27Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 32:41, Magen Avraham, ad loc.; cf. Shulchan Aruch HaRav 32:63. and necessarily square;28Menachot 35a; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 32:39; cf. Shulchan Aruch HaRav 32:59. the lulav—four handbreadths;29Sukkah 32b; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 650:1. the sukkah—seven handbreadths;30Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 634:1. the shofar—one handbreadth;31Niddah 26a; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 586:9. the mikveh—forty seah.32Eruvin 4b; Mishnah, Mikvaot 1:7; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 201. The sacrifices, too, have a delimited measure as regards age, as for instance—“sheep of one year old,” and “rams of two years old,” and “oxen….”

The same applies also to the act of charity and the performance of kindness with one’s money [even though that is one of the pillars upon which the world stands,33Pirkei d’R. Eliezer, ch. 12. and as it is written:34Psalms 89:3. “The world was built by chesed,”35See Avot d’R. Nattan, ch. 4; Yalkut Shimoni, Psalms 839 (on Psalms 89). nevertheless]—it has a set measure of preferably one-fifth, and of one-tenth for an average measure….36Maimonides, Hilchot Matnot Aniyim 7:5; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 249:1. And this is what is called chesed olam: the “chesed of G–d enduring continually”37Psalms 52:3. that vests itself in the upper and lower worlds through the arousal from below—i.e., the precept of the charity and kindness which people perform among each other.

But because the world is in a state of finitude and measure [“From the earth to the heaven is a distance of 500 years…and [similarly] from one heaven to the next”38Chagigah 13a.; and “Six thousand years shall the world exist…”39Sanhedrin 97a.], the Torah’s commandment of charity and kindness is also given a limit and measure, just like the other commandments of the Torah.

However, this40The limited amount for charity. applies only to one who observes the Torah and does not stray from it right or left, even as much as a hair’s breadth. But he who has strayed from the path, Heaven forfend, whereas he has perverted his way [thus causing deficiencies in the kodesh ha’elyon,41Cf. Zohar III:66a; also, II:85b, 155b, 162b, and III:16b; et passim.—קדש העליון (Supreme Holiness) refers to the Supreme chochmah; see Zohar II:121a; Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 19. See also below, Epistle 17, note 34. that is, he has diminished his value as regards the efflux he could have elicited from the aspect of His Divinity and the radiation from the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, by observing the Torah and fulfilling her as behooves42Cf. Iggeret Hateshuvah, ch. 1.]—such perversion cannot be rectified save by an efflux of the Supreme light which transcends the worlds and does not vest itself in them. This is what is called chesed ilaah, and rav chesed, because it radiates and extends in a state of infinitude without limit and measure [whereas it is not contracted within the worlds but is in a state of encompassing over them, from aloft, from the peak of all rungs to the end…]. Now, when man draws it downward through his deeds and the arousal from below, this Supreme light will then radiate and expand within the worlds and rectify all perversions and deficiencies caused in the kodesh ha’eylon, renewing their light and goodness with exceeding uplifting and strength on the level of a truly new light. That is why they said that “In the place where penitents stand….”43In the place where penitents stand, not even the perfectly righteous can stand (Berachot 34b) because the penitents elicit the supreme light in greater strength and measure than the righteous. See Zohar I:39a and III:16b. Cf. also above, Epistle 8, note 23.

Now the essence of penitence (teshuvah) is in the heart,44See Isaiah 6:10 (Megillah 17b); Zohar II:150a; also ibid., I:41a.—Cf. also, “teshuvah is binah” (Zohar I:79b, III:122a and 255b), “which is the heart” (Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 17a). for through contrition from the depth of the heart one arouses the depth of this Supreme light.

But in order to elicit (this light) so that it will radiate in the upper and lower worlds, it is essential that there be truly an arousal from below, in the mode of an action, i.e., an act of charity and kindness that is without limit and measure. For just as man diffuses rav chesed [i.e., ח”ס דלי”ת (he is concerned with him who has not)45Division of the word חסד into חס and the final letter ד (cf. Tikkunei Zohar 22 (67b)). The ד (which written out fully spells the word דלי”ת meaning “has not”) signifies the poor and destitute for which one is to care—see Shabbat 104a; Zohar I:3a and III:273b. See also Netivot Olam, s.v. Tzedakah, ch. 2.]—namely to the poor and destitute who has nothing of his own, without setting a limit and measure to his giving and diffusion, the Holy One, blessed is He, likewise diffuses His light and benignity in the mode of chesed ilaah, referred to as rav chesed, which radiates within the upper and lower worlds in a mode of infinitude, without limit and measure. For in relation to Him, blessed be He, all are in a state of דלי”ת, whereas they have nothing at all of their own, and all that are before Him are esteemed as naught.46Zohar I:11b. And all the blemishes that man caused above, in the upper and the lower worlds, through his iniquities, are rectified hereby.

And this is the meaning of what is written: “to the L–rd, to exercise tzedakah and justice is preferable to sacrifice.”47Proverbs 21:3. Because the sacrifices are in a mode of quantity, measure, and limit, while charity can be dispersed without limit for the purpose of rectifying one’s iniquities.

As for the ruling48Ketuvot 50a. that he who expends should not expend more than one-fifth, this applies only to him who has not sinned, or has rectified his sins by means of self-mortification and fasts, as behooves to rectify all the blemishes above. But he who still needs to remedy his soul, surely the healing of the soul is not inferior to the healing of the body where money does not count, “And all that a man has he will give on behalf of his soul”—states Scripture.49Job 2:4. Cf. Iggeret Hateshuvah, end of ch. 3. See also Maimonides, Hilchot Deot 11:2, and ibid., 1:5 (in which he obviously includes the disbursement of charity exceeding one-fifth, and as he states explicitly in his commentary on the Mishnah, Peah 1:1; according to the abovementioned, this cannot be regarded as contradicting his ruling—based on Ketuvot 50a and 67b—in Hilchot Erchin 8:13). Cf. Birkei Yosef on Yoreh Deah 249 and Chomat Anach on Proverbs 11. See also Meah She’arim 1:28 (9a) and 3:3 (18a).

Now, this type of unlimited50Lit., without limit and measure. kindness is called by the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He, “the graces of the L–rd,” as it is written: “and the chesed of the L–rd is everlasting….”51Psalms 103:17. For though “all of Israel are compassionate and performers of kindness,”52Yevamot 79a. nevertheless there is a limit and measure to man’s compassion. But the Holy One, blessed is He, is called the En Sof, blessed is He,53Infinite. and to His attributes there is no end, as it is written:54Lamentations 3:22. “For His compassions are not exhausted.”55Text adds etc., but omitted according to H. V.

And this is the meaning of what the prophet said, after the destruction and the exile: “The graces of the L–rd—כי לא תמנו.”56See note 55. That is: “Because we are not perfect57לא תמנו is usually translated “they are not concluded,” but may also mean, as the author translates/interprets now, “we are not perfect.” [for we are not whole and perfect without any sin and blemish in the soul and the upper worlds]—that is why we need to conduct ourselves in accordance with “the graces of the L–rd” which are without limit and end, in order to elicit upon ourselves58Lit., to arouse over us. compassion and chesed ilaah, i.e., rav chesed, and unlimited, infinite compassion, as it is written: “For His compassion is not exhausted….”59Our verse reads now: (We need to perform kindness in a mode of) “the graces of the L–rd, because we are not perfect”; (this enables us to draw forth the infinite Divine compassion) “for His compassion is not exhausted.”

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, meant by saying: “Israel will be redeemed only through charity60Shabbat 139a; Sanhedrin 98a (see glossary note, ad loc.).—which they will perform even when they are legally not obligated, for “The son of David will not come until….61“—until the perutah (the smallest coin) has gone from the purse, Sanhedrin 97a; see also Pesikta Zutrata on Deuteronomy 32:36.—The implication is a total disbursement, without regard to any limit or measure.”62The original letter concludes here with a lengthy appeal for charity (see Igrot Kodesh Admur Hazaken (Kehot, 2012), p. 135 ff.).